Agonizing over creatine

[reptileszz]

Hi all. I am a 47 yr old that has been working with kettle bells and some weights for a couple of years. I run and bike a lot too. I recently started the Body Beast workout with my husband. My goal is to see if I can add muscle mass but stay thinnish. Generally I liked to weigh under 125 lbs but have been up around 128-130 lately. I'm 5'5". I know some of it is muscle but some is the holidays I think

Anyway, I do take protein, glutamine and bcaa after working out but have been thinking about creatine. The bloating horror stories have effectively scared me away from creatine mono hydrate. I can't stand bloating. My stomach is my only problem area as it is.

So I just bought some creatine ethyl ester because I saw random things online bout it not causing bloat. So then I looked into it further and people say it doesn't even work. That it turns the creatine into creatinine which is useless? Ugh.

So did I waste my money? Should I take it and see what happens? Are there better options?

Thank you for any advice.

Carole

[nacersusaf]

Give it time to work. Nobody can tell you what effects it will have on you specifically.

[oregonchick76]

First off, you'd like to add muscle. Muscle requires a calorie surplus, which = gaining weight. This doesn't jive with your desire to stay around 125.

Not sure what the glutamine and bcaa are for, but you don't need them.

Bloating horror stories? LOL. Creatine generally causes water retention within the muscles. It is a mild substance and I've never noticed any stomach upset. The water weight gain that comes with creatine generally enhances your look since it makes the muscles look bigger.

Yeah, you wasted your money on ethyl ester. Mono is the way to go. But now you have it, might as well give it a try.

[neacail]

I use a creatine mono (in addition to BCAAs and glutamine), so I can't comment on the creatine ethyl ester. I can tell you that I'm very pleased with my creatine mono. I have definitely noticed quicker recovery.

My intestines were a bit "gurgly" for a couple of days after I started taking it, and I did have loose stools. But, these issues resolved themselves very quickly (48 hours).

Does it "bloat" me? Not in the traditional sense. I am retaining around 5lbs of water, with the most obvious changes being in my thighs and backside. My skinny jeans no longer fit, but I look smokin' in yoga pants, and hubby has been chasing me around the house (hasn't caught me yet . . . I'm in much better shape than him ).

Creatine mono is generally recommended as the one to start with. If it isn't tolerated well, other forms can be tried.

If you purchased your creatine from GNC, I'd probably return it and go with a mono. If you purchased it from a retailer that won't permit exchanges, I'd probably just use it and see what happens.

[VO2Maxima]

Don't take BCAAs at the same time you take protein or are eating food with protein. There are already BCAAs in there and you're wasting money. Maybe take them intraworkout or as a bolus between meals, but otherwise they're wasted.

Bob from the supplements forum can link you to the study that shows that creatine ethyl ester is less effective than creatine mono. Use it up now that you have it, but don't waste your money on it in the future. Mono is the way to go, and if you're in the small minority of people who experience GI distress on mono, consider creatine HCl.

As Oregonchick said, you can't gain muscle and lose weight simultaneously. Gaining muscle involves gaining weight.

[reptileszz]

Thank you everyone. I don't mind gaining weight if it's actually muscle but when I eat more calories it show up in my gut. Perhaps it's my age? If it showed up in the muscles that would be great. I'll likely use this up and then not buy any more.

Thanks again.

Carole

[esh83]

creatine mono is the way to go.I was nervous about taking creatine too but after reading all the posts in the forums, i'm glad i bought it. Been taking it for a few months now, no stomach issues or major water retention. I do feel as if it makes my muscles look bigger you can buy the big tub of the BB.com brand really cheap.

[gailh]

creatine is great. one of the few supplements PROVEN to be effective.

[sy2502]

OP why don't you just try it for a month or so, and if you don't like it, just stop taking it. Even if it causes you bloating, once you stop taking it, it goes away. Nobody here can tell you how your body will react to it.

[EPolis13]

Sigh.

It causes intra-MUSCULAR water retention. 3-5lbs at most, and not even everyone experiences it. It is not fat gain, and it's not belly bloat. One of the most widely studied and effective supplements out there.